St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-28
HER THREE DAYS FRENZY
The Early Romance of a Half
Witted Old Woman, Never Told
but Once.

The Early Romance of a Half
Witted Old Woman, Never Told
but Once.
A more romantic career can scarcely
be imagined than that of old AUNT
Hannah" or least as she narrated it
many, many years ago to an intimate
friends of a writer for the San Fran
cisco Alta. She seems to live one the
streets, and as the Enthusiastically clad
figure of the Shrivelled dame speeds
past one in the cleaning. or glideS
silently by the house at the first streak
of dawn, Il person cannot quite restrain
q little Shudder. She looks 50 like Il
witch you almost expect at any moment
to see hear go soaring over the house
tops. mounted on brOOmStick bound
for the moon, to sweep away those cob
webs which childish fancy has woven
across the pale satellite of the earth.
The lady to whom the story was mar
rated had befriended the fOrlOrn woman
and 50 won the heart of Aunt Hannah
that one day that worthy came in
through the basement, as was her wont,
and without waiting for an invitation
seated herself in the big rOcking-chair,
throwing back her shawl from her head
and resting her chin on her skinny
hand. as the white locks of hair glided
across her face in unheeded confusion.
For some time the old crOne said
nothing, but rocked quietly to and fro.
''Thee hast been very kind to me-"
she said, suddenly turning toward tn q
lady who sat sewing near at hand. Il
was not always what thee Seest Inc now.
have never told any one about myself,
but thee hast been SO very kind, L must
try and tell thee"
She stopped talking a moment.
brushed back the Struggling locks in an
abSen-minded way, and continued:
Long 20, OH. so long ago. l was the
only child of wealthy Quakers i'll Phil
adelphia. They said was very comely,
and when but girl in years l welded
Reuben. For year our lives were
filed with happiness, but one noon they
brought my husband back TO me dead.
to me who but a few hours before he
had left in the pride of his strength and
| life. | don't remember what they told
me, and they placed his body in the
| family vault long before the fever had
left me. One day, after they told me
! that the baby, too, was resting by its
| fathers side-the baby had never seen
"a great desire came to me to go to my
! loved ones. and determined to do So
"
1t flashed across me that it might unlock
the door of the vault. so that night
l crept out of the house and
stole away to the graveyard. had no
| trouble in finding the vault and to nv
| Joy the key l had with me fitted the
! lOcl-the bolt flew back and rushed in
| and flung my arms about the casket, as
| the heavy iron door closed behind me
with a clang that awOke the echoes in
| prolonged reyerberatiOnS. How long L
! lay there | never knew, but it seemed to
! me that my husband returned to me and
! | felt his arms about me in the old cares
/ sing way. Perhaps it was the cold or
! hunger that finally induced me TO raise
myself and grOpe my way in the dark
ness toward the door. When | reached
! it l found it would not open, although |
! put forth all the little strenth that was
! in my wasted body. | was not in the
| least frightened, and | remember [
/ laughed aloud with delight, for thought
now they could never take me away from
| my love. and creeping back to the coffin
/ | sat down upon it and waited with i'm
| patient longing for death to join me for
ever to the loved ones who had
! been so suddenly snatched from
| me. As / sat there dazzling
| light Tell all around me and | saw my
| husband coming toward me with out
| stretched arms. He was just bending
| down to kiss me when consciousness
| fled. and it was not until months had
passed that my friends told me they had
not discovered my whereabouts until
had been locked up in the tomb three
| days and nights. l have never been